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Catterline Coastal Rowing Club

What was thought to be a simple straight forward job has turned out being a lot trickier and time consuming with lots of fiddly work involved.

The inner gunwale was made of wood left over from the building of Rob’s barn/boat shed. It was decided to make these differently than shown on the drawing. We thought it made best from doubling up of the 2 by 1 lying around the boat shed.

The first piece was clamped in position and the angle where it meets the stern post marked on and cut. The scarph joint was also cut. Then it was clamped back in position and checked that it fitted. Some fine tuning was done until it fitted perfectly. Once we were happy it was glued and clamped in position, using every clamp that we had!

Then the next bit was prepared for fitting. This process was then repeated for the starboard side of the boat.

Once the first strip was completed another strip was added on top of this doubling up the existing gunwale.

While all of this was going on Steve and Brendan Hall were busy preparing the oak for the outer gunwale. After much battling with the table saw the pieces of wood to be used for the gunwales were cut from a massive slab of oak. The poor table saw couldn’t handle it and eventually gave up and the belt drive broke. Rob got us a new one which ended up being for a lawnmower! Eventually we got the correct one!

The boat will be attending the Gala (Sat, 9th June), albeit in an unfinished state. The plan is to show the boat off and also have a workbench to enable work to be done on the oars. There is plenty of wood to be planed off the oars to get then into shape. So please come and pick up a plane.

We will also be voting for the boat’s name. We have had several suggestions and there is still time for more.

Activity picked up with some midweek work and the most dedicated builders out on Sunday. Rob’s father Rufus also lent a hand and shaped up the breasthooks. The stern breasthook is now in place. As is the cox’s foot rest which passed its strength test with both Rob and Tim standing on it (but not at the same time). Chris took on the task of making the cox’s seat.

Gary and Nick glued the last of the outer gunwales on. This has been a much more challenging task than expected. The inconsistencies of the timber has meant that strips have had to be shortened to avoid knots in the wood and then scarphed on to pieces already on the boat. All in all fiddly work and well done to Gary for preserving with it. Nick and Gary also glued on the bases for the kabes on the port side.

A quiet week in the shed with only two boatbuilders. Nick extracted a strip out of the oak for the outer gunwale and Rob worked away at fitting the support for the cox’s footrest. Gary had a midweek session working away on the gunwales.

It is a been few weeks since the last update, and details of what has been going on in the boatshed are below.

But firstly, we need your help - the boat needs a name.

We are planning to choose the boat’s name at the Gala. The plan is for you to vote for your favourite name at the Gala. But beforehand, we need suggestions. Can you please send me your suggestions plus an explanation of why this should be the name of the Catterline Coastal Rowing boat. These will be displayed at the Gala, so that people can choose their favourite name.

Since Easter boat building turnouts have been low. Progress has therefore been a bit slower than perhaps hoped for. The boat will come to the Gala, but will not be ready to be launched. There will be some work that can be done at the Gala.

North-east community comes together to build coastal rowing boatstv.tvCatterline man Robert Plummer came up with the idea after being inspired by similar projects around the Scottish coastline. Adults and children alike have been getting involved in the project. Dozens of similar boats are being built around the country ...

If you missed it when it was shown on the telly you can watch it here. It's at 10.50, about half way through.